Steam-engine



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(No Model.)

STEAM ENGINE.

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STEAM ENGINE. No. 329,954. Patented Nov. 10, 1885.

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J. S. ROBBINS & J. T. POSTER.

STEAM ENGINE. No. 329,954.

4 Patented Nov. 10, 1885.

3 SheetsSheet 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. ROBBINS AND JULIUS T. FOSTER, OF RAOINE, WVISOONSIN.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,954, dated November10, 1885.

Application filed September 1, 1884. Serial No. 141,962. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN S. ROBBINS and JULIUS T. FOSTER, residing atRacine, in the county of Racine and State of WVisconsin, and citizens ofthe United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement inSteam-Engines, of which the following is a full description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective; Fig. 2, a detail in perspective, showing the valve removed.Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a verticalcross-section through the center of the cylinder A.

Our invention relates, primarily, to steamengines provided with twocylinders; and the leading object of our improvement is to provide anoscillating valve so constructed and arranged that the steam and exhaustports will be very short, and so that the valve will be operated withvery little friction, which we accomplish as illustrated in thedrawings, in which- A B represent two vertical cylinders, in which arethe pistons O C.

d D is a base and chamber beneath the cyliners.

E is the crankshaft; F, connecting-rods.

G is the valve-chamber and steam-chest, provided with heads H H, andlocated directly over the cylinders. The valve-chamber and steam-chest Gis provided at each side with a lateral flange, G, Fig. 4, which flangesare bolted to the lateral flanges G at the upper ends of the twocylinders A and B, whereby the valve-chamber and steam-chest constituteheads to the cylinders and enable us to dispense with independentcylinder-heads.

I is an oscillating valve fitting within the valve-chamber G, andprovided with a stem, a, which extends out through the head H. The valveis provided with a central chamber, 12, as shown in Fig. 3, whichcommunicates at one end with an outlet, 0, for the exhaust-steam. Theexterior of the'valve is cut away at the center, as shown at d, forminga channel around it.

e is a passage in the exterior of the valve, communicating at one endwith the central channel, d, and f is another channel in the exterior ofthe valve, said passages e f being formed, respectively, in the oppositeend portions of the valve and arranged out of line with each other, soas to alternately communicate with the two ports t i in thecylinderheads, as hereinafter explained.

As shown, there are two exterior channels, 9 9, one near each end of thevalve. These channels g g are not necessary, but with them the channels0 f can more conveniently be made.

h h are two passages through the wall of the valve, communicating withthe interior chamber, b.

'1; t" are ports through the heads of the cylinders.

S is the steam-inlet.

J is a short crank on the stem at of the valve.

K is the link, and L is a link-block connected with the crank J.

M N are two eccentrics on the crank-shaft E.

O P are eccentric-rods, the upper ends of which are connected withv thelink K.

j is a set-screw.

The operation is as follows: As shown in Fig. 1, an oscillating motionwill be given to the valve through the eccentric M, rod 0, block L, andcrank J. Steam is admitted to the steam-chest and exterior of the valvethrough S, and fills the passages def. When the parts are brought intothe position shown in Fig. 3, the passage 6 will be directly over theport 1', and the port h will be directly over i, and steam will beadmitted to the top of the cylinder A. At the same time the piston Gwill rise and the exhaust-steam will pass from the cylinder B through t"h to the center of the valve, and out through the passage 0. WVhen thepistons have reached the limits of their stroke, the position of thevalve I will be changed, bringing the passage f over the port 12 andbringing h over the port 1', and then steam will be taken to thecylinder B through f i, and will be exhausted from A through 1' h. Areverse motion can be given to the engine by moving the link K to theproper position, as usual.

A valve constructed and arranged as described will be well balanced, andwill be operated with but very little friction. The

steam inlet and exhaust ports are exceedingly short, and there will bebut very little waste steam at the end of each stroke.

An oscillating valve constructed substantially as above described can beused with a single cylinder instead of with two cylinders, omitting theinlet and exhaust passage upon one side of the center, or, which wouldhave the same effect in practice, shortening the valve and retainingonly the steam-passages d e and the exhaust-port h. When used with- Thehollow oscillating valve I, closed at one end, formed with the annular'channel d, and with the longitudinal passages e f out of line with eachother, and having the ports h h, the said parts being relativelyarranged as shown, in combination with two or more vertical cylindershaving ports ii, and the valvechamber and steam-chest G, securedlongitudinally above and to the cylinders and con- 'stituting thecylinder-heads, substantially as and for the purposes described.

JOHN S. ROBBINS. JULIUS T. FOSTER.

Witnesses:

BYRON B. NoRTHRoP, E. G. DEANE.

